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I'm wanting to use my Virgin Mobile SIM which I guess will lock onto EE/Orange/Tmobile. I hear they are a real pain to get unlocks from? Does me being a VM customer for 6months+ entitle me to the unlock as well or I have to go direct?

If not, is it better I just try get an o2 SIM and use their direct service or http://www.cellunlocker.net ? (They are charging $40 with 5-15 day average time)

I'm afraid there's one problem here, Virgin don't support the iPhone, therefore won't unlock any iPhone locked to their network. There may be exceptions to this, but I've had a number of people tell me they can't get an iPhone unlocked because Virgin refused to do it.
 
After a huge ordeal, I managed to secure an iPhone 5s space grey (sim free) from carphone warehouse. I think it's obvious that carphone warehouse were told they shouldn't advertise that they sell the 5s sim 3 so openly. You have to search for the phone itself on their website.

I phoned twice to make sure that they actually will sell it sim 3 and I was fobbed off twice, they said they won't be selling sim free 5's until at least a month.

But it was curious because the website was clearly stating I could order a sim free phone. So I made that point and eventually the guy on the other end had to ask his manager if this is the case. And they let me order!

Expecting a delivery on Monday!

Were you happy to pay the extra £50 for it?
 
Were you happy to pay the extra £50 for it?
Yep, 50 extra quid wasn't really an issue for me. Rather that then wait until the end of October. I ordered far too late from apple in order to secure the 7-10 day bracket.
 
Can anybody tell me in what London store I have the best chance of finding a gray 16GB 5s next week? Just moved to the UK.
 
Looks like they've attempted delivery on mine and my sisters. Hers has gone back to the depot as she needs to produce ID. Mine just says left card so you never know it might be with one of my neighbours. I officially hate saturdays especially when I'm stuck at work all day lol

Unlucky man. I had to nip out but someone else signed it for me, so looks like didn't need ID or anything afterall, but I've been with T-mobile before and ordered through the phone so that's probably why!
 
Can anybody tell me in what London store I have the best chance of finding a gray 16GB 5s next week? Just moved to the UK.

Impossible to say, but judging by this weekend so far, network stores seem a better bet than Apple stores at the moment.
 
Just cancelled my order with Apple (Space Grey, 32GB) and ordered a 64 GB Space Grey 5s from CPW. Ordered from Apple at 00:00, but seen as I can get it on Monday instead and the 64GB doesn't have a premium on it I thought why not!
 
I got a good deal on O2 3G

£22.00 per month for iPhone plan
£5.50 per month for mobile broadband plan (1GB data) - didn't want this but they said if I get it anyway it'll be cheaper than having just an iPhone plan.

I got unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 2GB of data on the iPhone & the 5S Silver for free.

Quite happy!
 
Impossible to say, but judging by this weekend so far, network stores seem a better bet than Apple stores at the moment.

The thing is, I'm gonna be in London for only 1 year, so I don't wanna be stuck with a contract for the next 24 months.
 
I got a good deal on O2 3G

£22.00 per month for iPhone plan
£5.50 per month for mobile broadband plan (1GB data) - didn't want this but they said if I get it anyway it'll be cheaper than having just an iPhone plan.

I got unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 2GB of data on the iPhone & the 5S Silver for free.

Quite happy!

Looking on the o2 website don't you also then have to pay for the phone?

How much a month did you pick for that?
 
Liking all the people cancelling their online orders, it may put my order higher up the list :D

Had my processing email at 00:03 with 7-10 day shipping time so hoping I'm quite high up there!

Stuck with my 4S for a couple more weeks it would seem, it's still running iOS 6 because I am saving iOS 7 for the 5S (sad I know) :D
 
Liking all the people cancelling their online orders, it may put my order higher up the list :D

Had my processing email at 00:03 with 7-10 day shipping time so hoping I'm quite high up there!

Stuck with my 4S for a couple more weeks it would seem, it's still running iOS 6 because I am saving iOS 7 for the 5S (sad I know) :D

That makes both of us, maybe our orders will be processed sooner :) I had my processing email more or less after I ordered at 12:08 am on Release night. I also go the same 7-10 day shipping, wish it had been sooner more like 1-3
 
Not happy with the delivery times from Apple online, so decided to settle my O2 refresh phone plan balance (£525, HTC One) and ordered a 5S 32Gb Space Grey for £79.99 up front payment, £25 pm for 24 months. upgraded airtime tariff to £17 pm, 1Gb data, unlimited texts/calls.

Delivery due on Tuesday, which i'm far happier about. Will cancel my Apple online order when my 5S arrives, just in case O2 suddenly have stock issues, but all the 16/32/64 space grey are all still in stock on their site.

Will eBay my HTC One, already had it unlocked a few weeks ago in anticipation. Got a black leather SENA case and a dock on the way, so all sorted! excited :D
 
Can anybody tell me in what London store I have the best chance of finding a gray 16GB 5s next week? Just moved to the UK.
Covent Garden is the flagship UK store so you'd expect them to get the most shipment (but also the most customers). Try there maybe at 9am in a week's time or so. You can also give the Regent Street and the other Apple stores in London a call to check before going.
 
Looking on the o2 website don't you also then have to pay for the phone?

How much a month did you pick for that?

On the refresh tariff yes, you basically buy the phone via o2 on interest free finance. The phone contract for calls etc is separate but combined in a monthly charge.
 
glad so many people are getting their iPhones in, so happy to have mine sitting infront of me syncing far too much music to it :)
 
Carphone Warehouse Gold?

I'm sorry but I can't seem to find on the CPW website where to get an iphone 5s contract free? .. I can only see the contract details for the iPhone 5s.
thanks!
 
I'm afraid there's one problem here, Virgin don't support the iPhone, therefore won't unlock any iPhone locked to their network. There may be exceptions to this, but I've had a number of people tell me they can't get an iPhone unlocked because Virgin refused to do it.

Phew, luckily didn't do this. Gone ahead and activated 3 on my 5S and requested unlock through their site (fingers crossed)
 
So, yeah, O2 are doing a deal and maybe its already been mentioned in the other 50 pages, buut here it is.

On O2 Refresh, you can get a 16GB space grey 5S for £169.99 up front. You pick the £17 airtime plan and pay the £169.99. The phones are in stock and will be delivered on Tuesday.

As soon as you get it, phone O2 and pay off the remainder of the phone plan which is 24 x £15 = £360.00. The moment you do that, your airtime contract is cancelled too, but you won't pay any money on that.

Total cost - £529.99 and it's here on Tuesday. Oh, and the moment it arrives, fill out the unlocking request form. :)
 
The thing is, I'm gonna be in London for only 1 year, so I don't wanna be stuck with a contract for the next 24 months.

If you've only recently moved here, you've got hardly any chance of getting a 24 month contract anyway. You wont be on the electoral register and you wont have a credit history.

Grab the iPhone 5S from CarphoneWarehouse and get a PayGo sim card. Sell the phone or take it with you when you leave the UK.

I just cancelled my Apple order for a 32GB silver. Ordered one via CPWH last night and it came at 8:30am this morning. Great service and well worth the extra £47 (£3 quidco). Got it on EE's 4G network. Was getting around 50 mb/s down earlier today. Insane speeds.

My iPhone 5 will go on eBay soon.
 
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